Just paid her off recently. Any advice on low to mid price mods. Engine or body?

2 things i definitely want to do is upgrade the standard 2 speed wipers to intermittent. Found out here!! Thanks for that. Also upgrade the stereo so i can have blue tooth and such.

 

Not sure what you'd consider low to mid price, but what I would do (and have done to my truck):

1. Color match the bumpers, grille, and flares

2. 3'' lift

3. Tires and wheels

My '08 is a regular cab like yours except gold. Just color matching changed the look of the truck drastically. The lift and wheels/tires finished off the look I was aiming for and I honestly haven't received so many compliments on any vehicle than I do on my '08.

 

Was the 3" lift very complicated? About how long did it take? Cost?

 

I upgraded the stereo in mine to get bluetooth and ipod controls. Sounded a little better but after installing new speakers and putting some dynamat in the doors the difference in sound is incredible. Getting all the stuff painted body color would be nice too. It would look kind of like a regular cab TRD sport if you did everything. I've been carefully planning lifting mine. I've lifted probably a dozen older Toyota 4x4's I've owned and it quite often snowballs out of control. I drive about 100 miles a day and I drive the truck all winter. And I also have to haul my family in it. Can't go too extreme. On these typically if you go over 2" you're going to need upper control arms to make the alignment correct and will also likely need to change to one of those bushings to replace the needle bearing on the front diff. And you'll be limiting downtravel. Not to mention when you go to larger tires you effectively lower your final drive ratio which also lowers your fuel economy and performance. Regearing fixes it but it's expensive. What you need to do is really think about what you do with your truck and what would make it work better for what you use it for.

 

I had a local shop install it for me. The lift itself and labor cost about $1000.

However, I added aftermarket UCA's to get the alignment perfect (to obtain my reconstruction permit). Honestly, without having to show green alignment numbers to obtain the permit, the UCA's aren't necessary in my opinion.

I also added a one piece driveshaft since I had pretty bad vibrations in 5th gear. The new driveshaft eliminated the vibes in 5th, but I have some vibrations at 20mph now, which isn't too bad.

 

F150, or if 5150* chimes in, sell it before you are left with a rusted hulk and butthurt in the process.

Lift it, drive it enjoy it. Life is way too short for sandy veejay jays.

I'm going 885 upfront with Dakars in rear, 1.25 spiders on the 4 corners. Thanks beavis , did my homeworkzx for me.